20 red sanders smugglers killed in Andhra, uproar in TN

Chittoor/Chennai, April 7

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Twenty alleged red sanders smugglers were on Tuesday gunned down by police in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district but political parties in neighbouring Tamil Nadu condemned the “brutal” police action in which they claimed 12 victims were labourers from their state.

Six police personnel were also injured in what the police claimed was an attack by the smugglers allegedly armed with sickles, axes and country-made weapons.

The task force and forest personnel, during a joint combing operation, spotted over 200 red sanders woodcutters involved in felling trees and they were asked to surrender.

"However, the smugglers, armed with sickles, axes, swords, country-made weapons and stones, attacked the police and forest personnel injuring six policemen," Deputy Inspector General of Police (Special Task Force) M Kantha Rao told PTI.

In retaliation, when the police fired in self-defence, 20 of the smugglers were killed and many others fled the scene, he said.

However, there was strong reaction from political parties in Tamil Nadu to the incident.

DMK, BJP, PMK and CPI claimed that poor labourers from the state were among the victims and asked the Andhra Pradesh government to "pursue lawful means" to check red sanders smuggling.

Claiming that they were innocent labourers from Tamil Nadu who were lured with higher wages to forests in neighbouring Chittoor, NDA ally, PMK chief Ramadoss said their being shot down without even an inquiry was unacceptable.

Dismissing claims of Andhra Pradesh police that they opened fire in self-defence, he said "it was a plain lie" and demanded a probe by a sitting judge of Supreme Court besides seeking relief to those killed and action against police officials.

DMK chief Karunanidhi, in a statement said, governments of both the states should announce relief to the families of the labourers killed in the exchange of fire.

"We are in touch with our counterparts in Andhra Pradesh. We are verifying if 12 of those killed were labourers from Thiruvannamalai and Vellore Districts," a top Tamil Nadu police official told PTI.

Red sanders, an endangered species also called red sandalwood, has a huge demand abroad, specially in China and Japan, and commands a good price. It is grown mainly in Seshachalam hill ranges spread across Kadapa, Chittoor and Kurnool in Rayalaseema region and parts of Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh.

Police said a massive hunt is on at different check posts to nab the absconding smugglers. An aerial survey is also being undertaken in the forest area.

"They (red sander smuggler) have a history of attacking forest personnel and policemen. Two forest officials were stoned to death by red sander cutters in Seshachalam forest in December 2013," Rao said.

Today's incident took place at two places in Seshachalam forest area of Chandragiri mandal in Chittoor between 5 AM and 6 AM.

"Twenty red sander smugglers have died at two places. There was an exchange of fire with our task force personnel. They (smugglers) were carrying red sander logs and attacked the police and forest personnel with sickles and fire arms. They also attacked the personnel with stones," Additional DGP (Law and Order) R P Thakur told

After the police personnel came under attack, they retaliated, he said.

"The smugglers, once challenged by the police, tried to overpower the security personnel and carry away the logs. In the process, they attacked the policemen," Thakur said.

There have been similar incidents last year also in which the red sanders smugglers attacked police and forest personnel, who too retaliated resulting in killing of some of the smugglers.

The Andhra Pradesh government had in June 2013 formed a Special Task Force to check smuggling of red sanders. The STF comprises officers from police and forest departments and it has been carrying out raids on the hideouts across Kadapa, Chittoor, Nellore and Kurnool districts to check the rampant felling of red sander trees.

The mandate of the dedicated team (the special task force) is to curb smuggling of red sanders in Kadapa, Chittoor and Nellore districts, from where illegal felling and transportation of the precious and endangered wood had been widely reported. — PTI